How to Bake a Smoked Spiral Ham

by Zora Hughes

Those attractive-looking, moist and juicy spiral hams have become a staple on the holiday dinner table. Spiral-cut hams are fully cooked, cured hams that are pre-sliced nearly all the way through so that the slices are easy to serve, but the ham stays intact for an attractive presentation. Smoked spiral hams come in a variety of wood flavors, such as hickory and mesquite. Because spiral hams are already pre-cooked and many come pre-glazed, you can serve them at room temperature. However, if you want to serve hot, smoky ham, you'll need to heat the ham in the oven on low heat.

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place your spiral-smoked ham in a shallow roasting pan. If the ham is half- or quarter-sized, place the ham flat-side down. If you have a whole ham, lay it fat-side up in the pan.

Cover the pan with foil and place in the oven. Heat the ham for 10 to 15 minutes per pound.

Remove the ham from the oven and let it sit covered for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. To slice a bone-in ham, use a sharp knife to cut along the seam lines of the ham well as around the bone; the slices will lift easily with a fork. Slice a boneless ham through the seam lines on the outside to release the slices.

Items you will need

Spiral-sliced smoked ham

Roasting pan

Aluminum foil

Tips

Spiral hams are commonly eaten at room temperature, which is the best option for retaining both the moisture and the glaze if you bought your ham pre-glazed.

Some spiral-sliced hams come unglazed, with a glaze mix on the side for you to add. You can also make own sweet glaze, using ingredients such as brown sugar, honey or maple syrup. To glaze your ham, remove it from the oven after reheating and raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush on the glaze and return the ham to the oven briefly for 8 to 10 minutes.

You can keep a whole, unopened spiral ham in the freezer for up to 12 weeks. Thaw your ham in the refrigerator for two to three days. If you are pressed for time, you can thaw it at room temperature or immerse it in water, but you should then refrigerate it immediately unless you are ready to serve.

If you have leftover ham slices, wrap them tightly in usable portions in plastic wrap; then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to five days and in the freezer for up to two months.

Warning

Avoid overheating spiral ham, as it is already fully cooked and can dry out easily.

Resources

About the Author

Based in Los Angeles, Zora Hughes has been writing travel, parenting, cooking and relationship articles since 2010. Her work includes writing city profiles for Groupon. She also writes screenplays and won the S. Randolph Playwriting Award in 2004. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in television writing/producing and a Master of Arts Management in entertainment media management, both from Columbia College.